Web design and web development for local Reading business SwimExpert, using WordPress as the CMS (Content Management System)
SwimExpert are one of the leading swimming improvement services in the UK.
Their existing website was well overdue for not only a design refresh but a content management overhaul in order to simplify the updating of the website.
Understanding what needed to change on the new website
There’s no shame in having an outdated website. By their very nature, a website will begin to look outdated at around 3-4 years.
Design trends come and go, and what once looked fit for purpose can look outdated easily.
SwimExpert approached us knowing their site required a refresh, but before we started any design and development work, we had to understand what the actual problems are.
Here’s what we knew had to change:
- Dated design – the website had a very narrow, blocky, hard border look / layout. This was a very common look 10 years ago but does make a business look dated. As a first impression for a customer, it’s not a great start, particularly when their competitor sites were looking far more modern.
- Poor imagery – Lots of the images were people staring directly at the camera. It looks very staged, very fake and smacks of stock image photos, lacking any personal touch and making it difficult for say a parent to imagine what their child will be experiencing if they sign up to lessons.
- Trust and confidence above the fold – Without scrolling on the website, a customer should feel confident that they are in the right place, the business knows what they’re doing and they can be trusted.
- Choice overload – SwimExpert has two big revenue generators yet they weren’t the main focus of the website.
- Lack of social proof – any business would kill for the social proof that SwimExpert has from it’s clients. Yet, this information was being hidden away.
- Lack of search functionality – there was no way to find information quickly other than the traditional navigation method.
ORIGINAL HOMEPAGE
NEW HOMEPAGE
How we deal with website issues like these
Dated design
Modern web design is all about minimalism and giving content room to breathe.
And that is exactly what we did.
This gives not only a good first impression but establishes trust with potential clients.
We ensured there were plenty of calls to action.
Remember the purchasing intention of someone landing on the SwimExpert website is high and it therefore has to be easy to know which step to take next in order to book a lesson.
Poor imagery
During the design phase we sourced images that were much more emotive.
These allow the parents to picture how their child will participate in their lessons.
This builds another layer of trust with potential clients.
During our design phase, we sourced images that looked more natural and evoked a feeling of ‘I can see my child or myself in that position’.
These are more emotive and give parents the confidence that their child will thrive under SwimExpert instructors tuition.
Trust and confidence above the fold
Speaking of trust, we need to build it as early as possible above ‘the fold’.
This is the visible area of the website before any scrolling happens.
The existing website was very busy
Lots of things vying for attention which ultimately impacts enquiries.
To improve this, we removed what wasn’t necessary.
In this case children and adult lessons are the biggest sellers, so we prioritise that content.
It’s also very important that you introduce the business properly.
This seems obvious but it’s incredibly surprising how many businesses forget to do this.
If a potential client is confused about what the business does, they’ll leave straight away.
Lastly we introduced social proof, a major factor in building trust and confidence.
Include social proof and make it easy for your customer to take the action they want to take.
Choice overload
Given that SwimExpert have the data to know exactly what 90% of visitors are after, it was obvious to push their two biggest revenue generators which are children and adult swimming lessons.
We therefore promote these in the navigation and push them to the top of the home page and other pages.
Rather than the old site where they sat alongside other less popular lessons, they are now forefront on the new website.
Lack of social proof
We really push social proof on the website via a ‘sticky’ block that hugs the right of the screen.
We also make it incredibly easily to create bespoke review pages using verified Google and TrustPilot reviews.
We even build in the intelligence so that swimming instructor pages can pull in Google and Trustpilot reviews specifically left for them and ordered by date.
Search functionality that reduces friction
SwimExpert aren’t just about children and adult lessons.
They provide numerous other services.
A search facility allows every person to find exactly what they need to find quickly.
We also bullet proof the search so that if someone searches for kids lessons, we understand the intent is to book what SwimExpert calls ‘Children’s lessons’ and push them immediately towards that content.
So now we have identified what’s wrong with the existing website, we need to look at the client’s requirements
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these were of particular importance to the client.
- Allow potential customers to request a call back via a form which feeds directly into SwimExpert’s CRM.
- Promote their wealth of social proof from Google Reviews and Trust Pilot.
- Display locations where they offer lessons.
- Display venues where they offer lessons.
- Showcase their swimming instructor team.
- A news / blog area.
- Download their brochure.
Visit website
https://www.swimexpert.co.uk/
We’re a web design agency that loves developing websites WordPress
With requirements understood and visuals signed off, it was time to begin development.
WordPress was the obvious choice for the SwimExpert website.
As a web design agency in Reading, we know how to bend WordPress to our will, all whilst making it super intuitive for our clients who wanted full control over the copy on their website.
Of course SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is included and also completely within their control.
And if SwimExpert want any future work, then WordPress is entirely scalable so it is easy to add new functionality if they decide in the future that they need it.